2013 was a very sad year for the Baseball Hall of Fame. No one was elected to Cooperstown this past season, which is obviously due to the vast number of players from the steroid era on the ballot. But in 2014, we’re almost guaranteed to have an inductee. The man who’s a near lock to enter Hall on his first ballot? Greg Maddux.

The long-time MLB pitcher is up for election this year and there’s just no way he’ll be denied. This is a guy who won 355 games during his 23-year career. In addition, he posted a career 3.19 ERA and won four consecutive Cy Young Awards from 1992-1995. Maddux was also an eight-time All Star, 18-time gold glove winner and ranks 10th on the all time strikeout list (3,371). If ever there was a first-ballot hall-of-famer, it’s Greg Maddux in 2014.

I just don’t see a way he’ll be kept out. When you consider all of the others names linked to steroids on the ballot, and the fact that Maddux was never linked to them once, he’s a shoo-in with his loaded resume. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the rest of the ballot and see how many players have been linked to PEDs. Will Maddux still have some company on his way to the Hall? Possibly.

The difference between Matt Carpenter the leadoff man and Carpenter in any other spot in the order has been huge this season. As they enter the stretch run, St. Louis should keep batting him leadoff. Read More